Electric

Calif. City Unveils Electric Vehicle Fleet

March 30, 2018
• by Staff

Steve Knapp, fleet manager for Chula Vista (left), Assistant Director of Public Works Iracsema Quilantan (second from right) and Public Works staff celebrated the new electric vehicle deployments. Photo courtesy of Center for Sustainable Energy

The City of Chula Vista, Calif., and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) unveiled a new electric vehicle fleet of 15 cars and an array of charging stations at City Hall. The fleet consists of 12 battery-electric Hyundai Ioniqs and three Chevrolet Bolts, according to a release from the city.

The vehicles are funded by Measure P, a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2016. They will be deployed to the senior volunteer patrol units and code enforcement officers. Later this year, the city intends to double its fleet of low and zero-emission vehicles, bringing the total to 30.

SDG&E has installed 71 chargers at city facilities, and the utility will install 52 more.

The city received $150,000 in state rebates for purchasing the EVs through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which is distributed by the Center for Sustainable Energy.

Measure P funds have also been used to purchase 51 police vehicles, two fire engines, and one 57-foot tiller fire truck.

Trucking shouldn't waste time on pipe-dreams like platooning and autonomous trucks and instead focus on improving logistics and making the trade appeal to young people, said Hendrickson's Jeff Sass while speaking at the Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange in Phoenix.